Zachary Saves the Day, a Rugrats Fourth of July Story
by celrock
Summary: Can Zachary make his first fourth of July with the Rugrats a memorable one, as he helps Tommy overcome his fear of water and finds Peter a mommy and daddy? Follow them on their big adventure, at the newly renovated art museum. Based off of events that really happened on my fourth of July this year. Peter is an OC created by TCKing12. Going back to toddlerhood for this story.
1. Chapter 1

Zachary Saves the Day, A Rugrats Fourth of July Story

Summary: Can Zachary make his first fourth of July with the Rugrats a memorable one, as he helps Tommy overcome his fear of water and finds Peter a mommy and daddy? Follow them on their big adventure, at the newly renovated art museum. Based off of events that really happened on my fourth of July. Peter is an OC created by TCKing12. Going back to toddlerhood for this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own the original characters of Rugrats, or any other movies, books, TV shows, or cartoons that should crossover into this story, they're the property of their original creaters.

It was a rainy morning when Betty Deville with Phil and Lil showed up at Tommy and Dil's doorstep. Didi answered the door.

"Wow you guys look wet, come on in and get dried off." Said Didi.

"Yeah we just came from the fourth of July parade, it was raining cats and dogs down there! No wonder it ended half an hour earlier this year than last year." Said Betty.

"Oh, we all just watched it on TV, it's much drier that way." Said Didi, leading Betty into the house.

"We would have done that, except Howie has yet to set up the cable box for us to get the access channels, like California Public Television." Said Betty.

Didi leaves for a minute and returns with some beach towels.

"Here are some towels to dry off the twins. Then they can go play in the living room till it's time for us to leave for the big grand reopening of the art museum. Grandpa Lou will be playing his trumpet with the local band. And Taffy's gonna be there to lead us in a patriotic sing along!" Said Didi.

"Wow, that sounds great!" Said Betty excitedly.

"I certainly hope so. The last time we delt with Lou playing in a concert he took his teeth out. I certainly hope he doesn't do that this time. The museum is much bigger than it was 2 years ago when we took the kids to see the raising of the giant mobile, and they have beautiful reflecting pools in the front of it now to bring out the scenery." Said Didi.

"Oh don't worry Didi, I'm sure everything will be fine." Replied Betty, as she took the dried off twins into the living room.

Phil and Lil were greeted by Tommy, Chuckie, Kimi, Dil, and Zack playing circus.

"Hey guys, we're playing circus, wanna play with us?" Asked Chuckie.

"Sure!" Replied Phil and Lil in unison.

"I'm the ring monster!" Said Kimi.

"Yeah, she's a much nicer ring monster than Angelica, and I don't have to be the human candy ball this time." Said Chuckie.

"Nope, me and Chuckie are the summer salting accrabats this time. Ready Chuckie?" Tommy asked, getting ready to perform his summersalt on the living room floor.

"After you Tommy." Said Chuckie, as he lined up next to Tommy.

The two of them did their summersalts, but when they did, Tommy's screwdriver fell out of his shorts pocket and Chuckie's moon rock fell out of his pants. Not realizing what had happened, Dil snatched the loose items from the floor and stuck them into his diaper. Everybody clapped and cheered for Tommy and Chuckie when they were finished.

"Wow, that was excellent!" Said Zack.

"Thank you Zack." Replied Tommy with a smile.

Tommy looked around at everybody in the room.

"Now, who's next Kimi?" Tommy asked, looking in Kimi's direction.

Before Kimi could respond, Didi, Betty, Kira, and Aunty Celeste all walked in the room.

"Come on kids, it's time for us to go to the grand reopening of the museum where we're gonna hear grandpa Lou play trumpet in the band, eat dinner, and see lots of beautiful exhibits." Said Didi, as she gathered up Tommy and Dil.

"And let's not forget the fireworks. Tonight will be Zachary's first time seeing fireworks." Said Aunty Celeste, as Zack ran over to her and grabbing a hold of her hand.

Later in the car on the long drive to the museum. Betty and Celeste are sitting next to one another towards the front of the 20 passenger van.

"I don't get the whole fireworks thing I mean it's not like you can see them anyway." Said Betty.

"Maybe I can't anymore, but I want my nephew Zachary to have all of the experiences, both visual and non-visual he can get." Replied Celeste.

In the back of the car, the young toddlers sat next to one another in their car seats.

"Uh, Tommy, did your mommy say we were gonna hear Grandpa Lou play his trumpet?" Asked Chuckie.

"Yeah Chuckie, why?" Tommy responded.

"Cuz if he does that we're gonna have to go look for his teeth again." Replied Chuckie.

"Don't worry Chuckie, grandpa doesn't take his teeth out in strange places no more. He only takes them out when he's at the tired home." Replied Tommy.

"Shew, that's a relief, cuz I don't think I'm up for chasing after ducks today." Replied Chuckie.

"There won't be any ducks there we're going to a museum." Said Zack.

"Oh yeah, that's where I took home a bone for Spike." Replied Tommy.

"And played with masks." Added Phil.

"And wandered through the jungle." Added Lil.

"Don't remind me!" Shouted Chuckie.

"Uyh guys, I think this is a different kind of museum. I heard the grown ups say we were going to a art museum." Replied Zack.

"What's a art museum?" Asked Kimi.

"I know, it's where we see ourselves in the pictures! Remember?" Said Tommy.

"Oh yeah, although the only picture I remember is me going potty naked." Muttered Chuckie as he looked out the window.

"I know, but maybe things will be different this time." Said Tommy happily.

"Yeah! We're gonna get to attend a sing along, and there's gonna be fireworks! I'm really excited to be seeing fireworks for the first time." Said Zack with a smile.

"What are fireworks?" Asked Dil.

"Well my aunty tells me that fireworks are beautiful colors of light that fall from the sky." Replied Zack.

Just then, the car pulled up into a parking lot at the museum. They were greeted by Lou and Lulu, Lou was carrying his instrument.

"Hey everyone you made it!" Said Lulu.

The gang all stepped out of the car and gave them a hug.

"Yeah, I'd better go put my instrument on to the loading dock and find where the band wants us to set up." Said Lou, walking away from the group.

The adults get the kids strapped into their strollers and start wandering through the museum grounds through the long line of people. They approach one of the security people.

"You may leave your umbrellas downstairs, and there are consession stands around the grounds for yummy food. Hope you enjoy your stay." Said the security guard.

"Any idea when and where the band will be performing tonight?" Betty asked.

"On that band stand, by the reflecting pools." Replied the security guard, pointing his finger in the direction of the band stand.

"Thank you." Replied Stu, as everybody continued to pass through the museum grounds.

"Oh aren't these reflecting pools beautiful!" Exclaimed Didi, as they passed by them.

Just then, Dil pulled out Tommy's screwdriver and Chuckie's moon rock from his diaper.

"Mine!" Yelled Dil as he raised the screwdriver and rock to throw them.

"What are you doing Dil?" Tommy asked, as he looked over at him in their double stroller to see what he had in his hand.

"No Dil!" Tommy yelled, but it was too late. Just then, Dil threw the screwdriver and moon rock into one of the reflecting pools.

A little while later, everybody stopped for a bite to eat at one of the consession stands. The adults came around and handed each of the kids a box of French fries and a corndog.

"Mmmm, corndogs, my favoritest!" Said Zack, as he took a bite of his corndog.

Just then, Chuckie reached into his pocket to find it empty.

"Uh, guys, where did my moon rock go!" Panicked Chuckie.

"Uh, Chuckie, you may not like what I have to tell you." Said Tommy.

"What, where is my little moon rock?" Asked Chuckie.

"Dil threw it into a rejecting pool, along with Tommy's screwdriver." Replied Kimi.

"Oh great this is just great." Grumbled Chuckie.

Just then, a toddler wearing a yellow t-shirt, blue overalls, with long black uncontrollable hair similar to Chuckie's red hair walked up to them.

"Hi, I'm Peter!" Said the new kid.

"Hi, I'm Zack. And these are my friends, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, Chuckie's sister Kimi and Tommy's brother Dil." Replied Zack.

"Nice to meet you guys." Said Peter.

Everyone nodded as they continued to eat their fries and corndogs, and take sips of their lemonade that was recently handed to them in sippy cups.

"What are you doing here Peter? Are you here to hear the concert and see the fireworks too?" Zack asked.

"Well yeah, but I'm also here to find me a new mommy and daddy." Replied Peter.

"You mean you don't have a mommy and daddy?" Chuckie asked.

"Nope, my mommy and daddy disappeardid a long time ago and I've been living in an orphanage." Replied Peter.

"What's an orphanage?" Lil asked.

"It's a place for people like me who got no families. But it's not fun. It's a hard knock life in the orphanage, and we have to do chores from sun up to sun down. If it weren't for my bestest friend Annie, who's always telling me that tomorrow, tomorrow, she'll love me tomorrow, it's only a day away, I don't know what I'd do." Replied Peter.

"Maybe you should come with us then. We're off to the rejecting pools to find my screwdriver and Chuckie's moon rock that my little brother accidentally threw into them. Maybe there's a mommy and daddy waiting there for you too." Said Tommy.

"That sounds like a great idea! I accept." Replied Peter smiling, shaking Tommy's hand.

The toddlers finished their food. The grown ups were still eating, when Dr. Lipchitz walked up to Didi.

"Hello, it's Dr. Lipchitz." Said Dr. Lipchitz.

"Oh hello Dr. Lipchitz." Said Didi smiling.

"You know this guy? Asked Aunty Celeste.

"Yes, I've read his books for years and had him over for a goolosh dinner a while back." Replied Didi.

"And now he's here to see the sights of the art museum. Impressive. Sounds like everybody is psyched for this art museum thing." Said Betty.

"Oh no, it's the mommy." Said Chuckie.

"That's no mommy, he's got fur on its chin." Replied Zack.

"That's what I thought when I met him." Chuckie whispered to Zack hesitantly.

"Hey, maybe he's gonna be Peter's new mommy." Said Zack.

"Uh, I don't think so. I don't want a mommy with so much hair. Let's see if we can find someone else." Said Peter.

"Come on guys, to the rejecting pools." Said Tommy, tossing his empty corndog stick on the ground, setting off confidently. Before they got too far though, they were stopped by grandma Lulu.

"Don't you worry, I'll watch the kids while you guys go look at the exhibits." Replied Lulu, gathering up the kids and leading everybody inside of the museum.

She sat the toddlers down in a comfy easy chair and sat down in an easy chair herself across the way. A few minutes later Lulu had her head buried in a book.

"Ok guys, hnow's our chance." Said Tommy, climbing down from the chair and glancing over in Lulu's direction to find she was no longer paying attention.

Everybody else hopped down on the floor and lined up behind Tommy except Chuckie.

"Aren't you coming Chuckie?" Tommy asked.

"Uh, no, I don't think this is such a good idea." Replied Chuckie.

"But don't you want your moon rock back?" Tommy asked.

"Did I say I wanted my moon rock back? No I don't want my moon rock back." Said Chuckie.

"Awe come on Chuckie, it'll be fun!" Exclaimed Kimi.

"Ok if you say so." Chuckie said with a sigh, as he climbed down from the chair and joined up at the rear of the line.

Everybody headed out of the museum towards the reflecting pools.

"There they are!" Said Tommy.

"But Tommy." Said Chuckie.

"What is it this time?" Tommy asked.

"There are three rejecting pools." Replied Chuckie.

The gang looked around to find a small pool, a medium size pool, and a large pool.

"Ok guys, we're gonna have to split up. Phil and Lil, you look in the small pool. Chuckie, Kimi and Dil, you look in the middle size one, and me, Peter and Zack, we'll look in the large one." Said Tommy.

Everybody split up and looked in the pools they were assigned to. Phil and Lil didn't see anything in the small pool.

""There's nothing in here." Yelled Lil.

Chuckie, Kimi and Dil looked into the medium size one to find nothing.

"Nothing in this pool neither." Yelled Chuckie.

Tommy, Zack and Peter approached the large pool. Tommy spotted the screwdriver and moon rock at the bottom of the large pool.

"There they are." Said Tommy. But before he could jump in, Angelica walked up behind them, eating a chocolate-chip ice cream sandwich.

"And just what do you think you dumb toddlers are doing?" Angelica asked.

"Oh, we're just going into the rejecting pool to rescue my screwdriver and Chuckie's moon rock." Said Tommy.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Said Angelica.

"Um… Why not Angelica?" Chuckie asked.

"Don't you dummies know that rejecting pools are not for swimming?" Said Angelica.

"Then if they're not for swimming, what are they for?" Kimi asked.

"Everybody knows that if you go into a rejecting pool, you're rejected, meaning you're losted forever. If you go into a rejecting pool, you'll drown, and never ever come out. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha." Said Angelica, taking the last bite of her chocolate-chip ice cream sandwich and skipping away.

Tommy POV

As Angelica skipped away, I looked into the pool, and suddenly had a flashback to that fishy trip I went on with grandpa a few months back right after I gotted potty trained. Remembering how I nearly drowned when the boat tipped over, I suddenly started to have a bad feeling about this as I stood there, looking into the water, shivering.

End of Tommy POV

"Uh guys, maybe Angelica's right, maybe we shouldn't go into the rejecting pool at all. Come on, let's go find my grandma." Tommy said miserably, trugging slowly away from the reflecting pool back towards the doors of the museum.

"Poor Tommy! I haven't seen him that miserable since the grown ups tried to take his bottle away from him." Said Phil.

"And gave him that dumb cup with a happy face on it." Added Lil..

The gang continued to walk slowly behind Tommy, looking sadder than ever.

Zack POV

I stood there at the rejecting pool, watching Tommy shake uncontrollably. Something was wrong, and it was up to me to help him. Tommy turned down going into the water to rescue the lost items, and we slowly headed back inside the museum, me following close behind Tommy. I overheard Phil and Lil make some comment about not seeing Tommy this miserable since his parents took him off the bottle and gave him a cup. Now, you guys should know I've loved cups since before I was drinking out of a bottle, back when my mommy was still alive and I drank out of her. If only I knew Tommy back then, I would have made his switch to a cup funnerer, but since I didn't, the least I could do was help him out now. One way or another, me and Tommy are gonna rescue his screwdriver and Chuckie's rock, and I will find Peter a new mommy and daddy. Only question that remained in my mind was, how? As I thought to myself, tagging along behind Tommy bringing up the rest of my friends in the group as we headed back inside the museum and purched ourselves back in the easy chair we had lefted earlier.

End of Zack POV

So what will happen next? We'll find out, in chapter 2.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The kids walked back inside the museum, and curled back up in the easy chair they were sitting in before, being quiet, Tommy, looking sadder than ever. Just then, the teenagers, Steve and Larry, walked by.

"What a stupid job, we should have stayed at the supermarket, or gone back to the Octaplex." Grumbled Larry.

"Hey, where are the keys to lock up the museum? It's almost time to send everybody outside for the big concert." Asked Steve.

""I thought you had them." Replied Larry.

"I'm pretty sure I gave them to you." Said Steve.

Larry pulled the keys out of his pocket.

"Awe, forgive you." Said Larry.

"Forgive you too man." Said Steve.

Just then, a security guard walked inside carrying a bull horn.

"Larry, Steve, it's time to escort all of these happy people out of the museum. We're locking the doors now and it's time for the concert." Said the security guard very loudly into his bull horn.

Just then, Lulu put down her book and looked up to see the rugrats curled up together in their chair across the way.

"Come on kids, let's get outside for the concert." Said Lulu, as she rounded up the young ones and everybody headed outside. They all went outside where everybody was seated to listen to the band play. The sky was very cloudy, and they found everybody's parents, seated in lawn chairs. Lulu seated the kids on the ground near where their parents were sitting.

"Oh, thank goodness you made it. Come over here, Pop left Stu and me with this chair for you to sit in." Said Didi, pointing to an empty lawn chair that was near where she was sitting.

"Thank you." Said Lulu, as she went and sat down in the empty chair.

Several more minutes drug on by, which felt like hours to the rugrats.

"When is this concert gonna start anyway?" Asked Chuckie.

"I don't know Chuckie, soon I hope." Replied Tommy.

"I hope so, we've been sitting here for practically forever and I still have no mommy and daddy." Said Peter.

"Well, maybe this is our chance to go back to those rejecting pools and find what went missing." Said Zack.

"No! Never!" Snapped Tommy, crossing his arms and turning away from Zack.

"What's wrong Tommy? Something's obviously bothering you." Said Zack.

"Leave me alone, nothing is bothering me." Tommy snapped back.

"Oh yes there is. And if you're worried about what Angelica said, I may have only known you guys since sometime last year, when Chuckie turndid 3, and you were practically 2, but I've also learned that half the stuff Angelica comes up with is a lie. So really, come on, what's bothering you?" Zack asked again.

"I already told you Zack, nothing's bothering me." Tommy snapped again.

Zack grabbed at Tommy's face and turned it in his direction, holding Tommy's cheeks in his hands.

"Come on Tommy, don't give me that look. I know you must be sick or something. You're always cranky when you don't feel well. Like the time you got sick at your mommy's graduation, and when we first met last year." Said Zack.

"I'm not sick." Tommy snapped.

"Then if you're not sick, what's going on?" Zack asked.

"I can't tell you, it's a secret." Replied Tommy.

"Oh really?" Zack asked.

Tommy nodded.

Zack leaned in closer.

"You can tell me, your secret is safe with me. I may have not been your bestest friend as long as you've been with Chuckie, but I know how to keep a secret. So come on Tommy, what's the big secret?" Zack asked, whispering in Tommy's ear.

Tommy took a deep breath and began.

"Ok, if you must know, I'm afraid of going in the water." Said Tommy.

"Afraid? Since when?" Zack asked.

"Well… Um… Since I went fishy with grandpa." Replied Tommy.

"You're not referring to that trip you went on right after you gotted potty trained, and learned to go use the potty before setting out on an adventure are you?" Zack asked.

Tommy nodded.

"Ok, what happened?" Zack asked.

"I nearly drowned. The boat tipped over into the water, I could barely breethe. Grandpa saved me, but I've never felt the same around water ever since." Said Tommy.

"But you seemed so confident up until we got to the rejecting pools. What made you change your mind?" Zack asked.

"Well, I had sort of forgotted all about it, that is, until Angelica reminded me about drowning." Replied Tommy.

"Now come on Tommy, you know Angelica is nothing but a blond headed fibber. Surely she's told you some other things that left you nervous." Said Zack.

"No, I don't think so." Replied Tommy.

"Oh come on, think back to a time when you had to overcome some other fear in your life. I'm sure you weren't always the braveliest baby in the whole wide world." Said Zack.

Tommy sat there and thought for a minute before replying.

"Well, there was this one time when I thought I could get sucked down the drain. Angelica even convinced me and Chuckie that you could." Replied Tommy.

"Ok mister brave guy, how did you face that fear?" Asked Zack.

"Well, I tried to plug up the drain with playdough and sand, but that didn't work." Replied Tommy.

"So then what?" Asked Zack.

"That night, when Chuckie's daddy gave us our baths, I went down there and pulled the plug from the drain. I had to prove once and for all if I'd go down the drain or not." Replied Tommy.

"And then?" Zack asked.

"And, I didn't go nowhere." Said Tommy.

"Now see? If you could face your fear of going down the drain, then you can face this one too. So let's go get your screwdriver and Chuckie's rock!" Said Zack, standing up and starting to walk away from the crowd.

"You're right Zack, I'm gonna go down there and rescue our stuff from the rejecting pool, and I don't care what Angelica says. Come on." Said Tommy, as he joined up with Zack.

But before they could take another step, the sun started to peak out from behind the clouds. A man walked up to the podium at the band stand and everybody clapped, quieting down. Tommy and Zack sat back down with the others.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to tonight's reopening of the art museum. We're thankful that the sun finally came out so we can see our music. Tonight we have a performance of lovely patriotic tunes for your entertainment, and in the middle of our program, Taffy and the Salt Waters will be joining us for a sing along. Please refer to the back of your programs for the lyrics to our fine sing along. And finally, to wrap up this spectacular presentation of the renovation of our fine museum, complete with new exhibits and our magnificent reflecting pools, our concert will conclude tonight, with a fireworks display, overlooking the reflecting pools. Finally, we'd like for you all to take this time, to silence your cell phones, and please, no video, or flash photography. Thank you, Happy Fourth of July, and enjoy the show." Said the announcer, as he walked away from the podium, maiking room for the conducter.

Everybody clapped as the band tuned up, then the band started into their first piece. They played several pieces including a medly of five tunes from the Reptar on Ice show. Later, intermission comes around and the announcer walks back up to the podium.

"The band is going to take a short intermission, but we'll be back momentarily with our sing along, so don't go away." Said the announcer.

"Come on guys, we'd better go now." Said Tommy.

"But Tommy, I was sort of looking forward to the sing along." Said Zack.

"Oh ok, but as soon as it gets dark, we're off to the rejecting pools. We don't have much time left before the fireworks." Said Tommy.

A few minutes later, Taffy walked by carrying her guitar case.

"Hi minis." She said smiling and waving in their direction.

The minis smiled and waved back.

Taffy went up to the stage and got all set up, as another lady approached the podium. The crowd quieted down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for our sing along, presented by Taffy and the Salt Waters. Our first song, is God Bless America. I'll let you know when to come in and start singing. And a 1, and a 2, an 4." Said the lady at the podium.

"Oh wow, Bob Bless America, that's my favoritest song!" Said Zack excitedly.

"Mine too!" Said Kimi with a smile.

The band started playing, and everybody joined in the sing along, which consisted of many patriotic songs. During the last song, My Country Tiz a Thee, everybody could hear Angelica's awful singing voice from a back row somewhere, sing over the rest of the crowd.

"My country tiz a thee, sweet land of lizerdy." Yelled Angelica at the top of her lungs.

Finally, the song concluded and the gang was relieved to not have to hear Angelica sing anymore.

"Glad that's over, she's a terrible singer." Said Lil.

Phil nodded approvingly.

The adults clapped as the male announcer reappeared at the podium, Taffy and the Salt Waters stood up.

"Weren't Taffy and the Salt Waters terrific everybody? And you guys should give yourselves a hand too! You were all terrific on that sing along!" Said the announcer.

The crowd clapped as Taffy and her band members, took a bow.

They exited the stage and Lou Pickles along with the rest of that band got back into position.

"And now, our local town band will finish off tonight's program, with a few selections from Girshwin and other famous jazz artists, and more patriotic instrumentals, as we see to wrapping up tonight's concert, followed by our fireworks spectacular, which is likely to be filled up tonight, since practically everybody else canceled their events tonight due to the rainy weather from earlier. So sit back, relax, and enjoy tonight's exciting conclusion." Said the male announcer.

The band started to play as the sun set in the sky.

"Come on." Whispered Tommy, as he crawled towards the reflecting pools, everybody else crawling close behind him, Chuckie bringing up the rear as usual. They crawled through the crowds of people, which were only starting to get bigger as it grew near time for the fireworks to start, as the gang made their way through the crowds, to the large reflecting pool.

"I think we're losted. Where's the rejecting pool Tommy. Where? Where?" Asked Chuckie.

"There!" Yelled Tommy, pointing to the large reflecting pool.

"Now, I just have to dive in, grab my screwdriver and Chuckie's moon rock." Said Tommy as he stood tall on the rocks that surrounded the edge of the large pool.

"I'm going in." Said Tommy confidently, as he dived into the water.

"I'd better go in too." Said Zack, diving in after Tommy.

"The rest of you guys, stay here." Said Zack.

Zack took Tommy by the hand.

"You ready Tommy?" Zack asked.

Tommy gulped.

"Yes I am, let's go." Replied Tommy.

Zack and Tommy dived under water.

"I can't watch." Said Chuckie, covering his eyes with his hands.

Zack found Chuckie's rock, Tommy found his screwdriver. The two of them came back up carrying the lost treasures, now found. Tommy was smiling.

"Hey, I made it! I didn't drown after all." Said Tommy.

"See? I told you you could do it. Now let's get out of here!" Said Zack.

"Here Chuckie, catch!" Said Zack, tossing the moon rock in Chuckie's direction. Chuckie uncovered his eyes and caught it.

"My little moon rock, I thought I'd never see you again." Said Chuckie, kissing the rock and placing it safely into his pants pocket.

Tommy put his screwdriver into his wet shorts pocket, and Zack and Tommy, waded towards the edge of the pool. They started to climb out, but the rocks around the edge were slippery.

"We can't get out by ourselves. Help!" Yelled Tommy.

"Come on Dil, you're the reason we're in this mess in the firstest place, go save Zack and your brother." Said Chuckie.

"No!" Snapped Dil, stepping back from the water, crossing his arms.

Just then, the fireworks started.

"Oh no, they sound really scary." Yelled Chuckie, as the fireworks sounded up above. Chuckie covered his ears.

"Hurry guys, the fireworks have started." Yelled Tommy.

"I'll save ya." Said Peter, pulling out a wed and white inner tube from his overalls and blowing it up.

Peter approached the edge of the reflecting pool.

"Ok Tommy and Zack, grab on to the tube, and on the count of three, I'll pull you up." Said Peter.

Tommy and Zack grabbed on to the floating ring with Peter holding on to the other side.

"1, 2, 3." Said Peter as he pulled on the inner tube, Tommy and Zack clinging on to the other end, climbing out of the pool till they were safely back on land.

"Thanks Peter, you saved us." Said Tommy.

"Awe it was nothing. I've had to do this with my fellow orfins lots of times." Replied Peter smiling.

"Well now that I've gotted my screwdriver and Chuckie's gotted his moon rock, let's go find you a mommy and daddy!" Said Tommy.

"And we'd better hurry, before the fireworks end." Said Kimi, the fireworks continuing to go off above them.

"But Tommy." Said Chuckie.

"What is it now." Said Tommy exasperatedly.

"There are so many grown ups here, it will take us practically forever to find Peter a new mommy and daddy." Replied Chuckie.

"Then we'd better start now. Everybody split up and start looking for grown ups. Surely somebody's gonna wanna be Peter's new mommy and daddy." Said Tommy.

Everybody split up, running through the large crowd of adults that had gathered to watch the fireworks display.

So, would they find a mommy and daddy for their new orfan friend Peter? We'll find out, in chapter 3.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The gang split up, running through the crowd, looking for a new mommy and daddy for Peter. Kimi approached an elderly man smoking a cigarette.

"Go away little girl." Snapped the old man, taking another drag of his cigarette.

"That man sounds mean like Angelica, and he smells!" Said Kimi, running away from the mean old man.

Phil and Lil approached a guy dressed up as Reptar.

"Hey, maybe Peter would like Reptar to be his daddy." Said Phil.

"He already has a baby, Philip!" Snapped Lil, poking Phil in the ribs.

"Oh yeah." Muttered Phil, as the 2 of them left Reptar.

Dil, completely forgetting about searching for parents for Peter, went and found his own mommy and daddy. Didi looked down to see Dil, all by himself.

"Awe, there you are Dilly." Said Didi, picking Dil up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Looking around, she couldn't see the other kids.

"Oh dear, the kids are gone again. Stu!" Didi shreaked, shaking Stu. The two of them, Didi carrying Dil, made their way through the giant crowd that had gathered to watch the fireworks, looking for the other kids. Kira and Chaz, Betty and Howard, and Aunty Celeste, following closely behind.

Just then, Tommy and Chuckie approached a guy dressed as a clown.

"Hey, maybe Peter would like a clown to be his daddy." Said Tommy.

"I don't know, he looks awfully scary looking." Replied Chuckie.

"Awe come on Chuckie, he's not that scary." Said Tommy.

Just then, the man pulled off his clown costume to review a giant diaper.

"Come on kids, pull my finger." Yelled the giant baby.

"Aaahhh." Screamed Tommy and Chuckie, as they ran through the crowd, the giant baby chasing after them.

Tommy and Chuckie caught up to Kimi, Phil and Lil, who joined in the running.

"What are we running from?" Kimi asked.

"A giant baby who's trying to get us." Answered Tommy.

"And we don't even have Angelica's magic lamp this time." Yelled Chuckie.

"Yeah but I guess fireworks make everybody come out from their hiding places." Said Phil.

"Look!" Exclaimed Lil, pointing to Dr. Lipchitze and a guy dressed up as Thorg from the Toy Palace.

"Thorg hungry, Thorg want to eat." Yelled the guy in the thorg costume.

The toddlers screamed and continued to run through the crowd.

"Where are Peter, Dil and Zack?" Chuckie asked.

"I don't know." Replied Tommy.

"What are we gonna do now? Those guys are still after us." Said Phil.

"Maybe if we jump into the rejecting pool, we can send them all back to fairy tale land and the toy store." Said Chuckie.

"Good idea Chuckie, let's do it." Said Tommy.

Everybody gathered around the edge of the reflecting pool, ready to dive in.

"On 3 everybody, 1, 2, 3." Said Tommy, as everybody grabbed hands and jumped into the pool.

Just then, Zack and Peter approached a lovely couple. A brunette man dressed in a pair of blue jeans, black leather jacket and a white t-shirt that said Sarycuse on it, and a woman with golden blond hair, dressed in a pink flowered dress.

"Are you kids lost?" Asked the woman.

"Awe, you boys are so cute!" Said the man, giving Peter a hug.

Just then, a security guard spotted the other toddlers in the reflecting pool. He picked up his bull horn.

"Kids in the reflecting pool, get them out, get them out." Said the security guard into his bull horn.

Just then, the couple with Zack and Peter turned towards the reflecting pool to see Tommy, Chuckie, Kimi, Phil and Lil jumping up and down.

"We'd better go rescue those kids. Come on." Said the male figure as he along with his wife, Zack and Peter, headed towards the reflecting pool.

Peter and Zack stood back and watched, as the nice couple reached in and fished their friends out of the water. Back on land, the gang looked around, no longer seeing Reptar, Dr. Lipchitz, the giant baby, or Thorg in site.

"Angelica was wrong, but right too." Said Tommy.

"What do you mean Tommy?" Chuckie asked.

"The rejecting pool doesn't make you disappear, it makes things you don't want disappear, like my fear of water and that giant baby." Replied Tommy.

"Yeah, and Zachary and Peter, saved us once again." Said Chuckie with a smile.

"No Chuckie, I think Peter has a new mommy and daddy, look." Said Tommy, pointing to the couple who fished them out of the water.

Just then, everybody's parents walked up to them, along with a woman in a red and white striped uniform that said, Orfanige on the name tag.

"Oh, good, you made it." Said the orfan owner lady.

"Peter, I'd like you to meet your new foster parents, Sonny and Layla Coafeks. They're lawyers that came all the way from New York City for the Fourth of July weekend, just to sign the adoption papers and take you home." Said the orfanige lady, leading Peter over to Sonny and Layla.

"It's an honor to be adopting our first child." Said Layla.

"Yeah." Said Sonny with a smile, picking up Peter and giving him a hug.

Just then, the fireworks concluded, with many colors in the sky.

"They're so prettyful." Said Lil, gazing up at some beautiful purple and yellow fireworks going off in the sky.

"Yeah but those fireworks make my ears hurt." Said Chuckie, as the final cracklings of the fireworks were heard, sending the outside of the museum into total darkness.

As soon as the fireworks concluded, everybody clapped and cheered.

"Thanks Zachary, you founded me a new mommy and daddy." Said Peter with a smile, shaking Zack's hand.

"You're welcome. I was happy to help, and I hope you enjoy life with your new mommy and daddy." Said Zack.

Peter smiled, and gave Zack a hug. The rest of the rugrats joined in, making it a group hug.

A little while later, Peter left with his new parents and the other parents approached the rugrats.

"Tommy, you're soaking wet!" Said Didi, picking Tommy up off the ground.

Betty and Kira did the same, picking up their kids, noticing they were soaking wet.

"Well we'd better get home, though it could take a while the parking lot's likely to be a mad house with the gobs of people who came to see tonight's fireworks display." Said Chaz, as everybody followed him back through the crowd to the parking lot.

"Yeah, we'd better get home and get you kids changed out of these wet clothes before you catch a chill!" Said Kira.

Later, in the car, the kids were seated in the way back in their car seats.

"Well, that was the bestest adventure I've ever had, but saving the day sure is tiring." Said Zack, letting out a huge yawn.

"Yeah, but you did great!" Said Tommy with a smile.

"No I didn't, I got us all wet and in trouble." Replied Zack.

"But you helped me overcome my fear of the water. You convinced me to face it." Said Tommy.

"And… And… You helped our new friend Peter, find a mommy and daddy." Said Chuckie.

"Yeah, I'm gonna miss Peter." Said Zack.

"But at least he can live happily ever after." Said Kimi.

"And this is one Fourth of July, I will never forget. The fireworks, the rejecting pool, the music, corndogs, and the bravery we all performed today. It can't get any better than this." Said Zack with a smile, as he closed his eyes.

Everyone nodded with a smile, as they yawned and fell asleep, the car inching its way down the road through the long line of traffic, as the families headed home, from their big Fourth of July celebration, at the newly renovated art museum.

The End


End file.
